[MLJJ]

Has anyone tried installing ppf to any of their cars? I wasn't planning on getting professional installation, but being the cheap bast*** I am, have been considering buying a roll and diy front of the rear wheel arches, mirrors and possibly other "easy to apply" locations (I'm fairly handy). If I fail miserably, I'll peel it off and go without and only be out 40-50 bucks.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Maybe it's me, but owning a Porsche and being a cheap "bast***" don't go hand in hand in my mind. I've seen a few videos of the PPF application and while not rocket science, it seems easy to get a very flawed look with it. But if you are starting with small portions (with very few curves), it might be worth the experiment.

 

[MLJJ]

Maybe it's me, but owning a Porsche and being a cheap "bast***" don't go hand in hand in my mind.

For some/most I suppose that is true, but being cheap/thrifty throughout my life has contributed to my ability to comfortably afford this car. No sense in stopping what has worked in the past this late in life. Besides, it will be a challenge and keep me busy for a while. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[alf_17]

I have tried working with yellow headlight tinting foil on one of my former cars, and it seems to be close in thickness to PPF.
I read all the tricks about applying the foil but despite the small surface area of the headlights it was very difficult to get a reasonable result.
Conclusion, I would rather let a professional handle it than screw it up myself.
Even if it costs 2-3000 USD that is a small price to pay to reduce the risk of stone chips and costly paint repairs.

 

[RadioZero]

I did the front bumper, and 3/4 hood on my previous 981 boxster. I have done about 4 other cars. I have used both Expel Ultimate and 3M film. Expel Ultimate lays down the easiest and is the better film, IMHO. you will need some small squeegee’s and 2 squirt bottles, baby shampoo/water mixture and a rubbing alcohol/water mixture. A buddy to help with the bumper piece will be a big help. It’s a lot bigger than you think when your trying to peel it off the paper and get it on the bumper. Dust, hair and any other trash will show up if it gets between the film and the paint. White cars need to have a full wrap around the edges of the panels to keep from being seen or obvious.

My 781 is white, therefore, I haven’t decided if I want to try and “wrap” the edges as needed. Wrapped edges really need to be done by a pro.

my 981 install photos and the last one is my 2018 Prius road warrior that i installed PPF:

 

[Muppet]

The only place you definitely need PPF is in front of the rear wheel arches, the front tyres kick up tiny road grit that peppers the lower area just in front of the rear wheels.
My car is Night Blue Metalic, you can’t see the damage but you can feel it when polishing the car.
I got a local PPF installer to fit two shark fin shaped panels in front of the rear wheel arches, took him 20 minutes, charged me £40, problem solved.
Porsche should fit PPF in this area at the Factory or the dealer should tell you about the problem before you start driving, so you can prevent any damage.

I’ve done just over 5000 miles now and only have one tiny stone chip on the lower bonnet that I’ve touched up myself with a paint stick from Porsche.
Basically just don’t follow closely to the car in front to avoid stone chips.

From a Fellow Cheap Bast$£d.>

 

[Mozella]

The only place you definitely need PPF is in front of the rear wheel arches, the front tyres kick up tiny road grit that peppers the lower area just in front of the rear wheels.
My car is Night Blue Metalic, you can’t see the damage but you can feel it when polishing the car.
I got a local PPF installer to fit two shark fin shaped panels in front of the rear wheel arches, took him 20 minutes, charged me £40, problem solved.
Porsche should fit PPF in this area at the Factory or the dealer should tell you about the problem before you start driving, so you can prevent any damage.

I’ve done just over 5000 miles now and only have one tiny stone chip on the lower bonnet that I’ve touched up myself with a paint stick from Porsche.
Basically just don’t follow closely to the car in front to avoid stone chips.

From a Fellow Cheap Bast$£d.>

I think covering the front of any car in a protective film just doesn't look quite right. I had a crazy old aunt who had clear plastic covers for all her lamp shades as well as a clear plastic cover for her sofa. She was a rather well educated and sophisticated lady, but in my mind those covers made her seem like trailer trash.

Having said that, I replaced the yellow film on my Panamera rear wheel arches and the job was very simple. I bought a piece of film on the Internet and I have enough left over to do my Cayman when it arrives in January. Total cost for both cars; ten bucks and about an hour of my time, which I enjoyed.

 

[jiffy]

I think covering the front of any car in a protective film just doesn't look quite right. I had a crazy old aunt who had clear plastic covers for all her lamp shades as well as a clear plastic cover for her sofa. She was a rather well educated and sophisticated lady, but in my mind those covers made her seem like trailer trash.

Having said that, I replaced the yellow film on my Panamera rear wheel arches and the job was very simple. I bought a piece of film on the Internet and I have enough left over to do my Cayman when it arrives in January. Total cost for both cars; ten bucks and about an hour of my time, which I enjoyed.

New films are invisible from 2-5ft away and have warranties against yellowing. It's a whole new world with PPF these days.

 

[vosadrian]

I recently DIY applied some 3M scotchgard pro PPF just in front of the rear gards and down the side under door on GT silver paint. I have to say that other than the cut line (which you have to look for closely), I am surprised how good the finish looks. Not as good as the paint alone, but difficult to pick unless you are close. If the price was about 50% cheaper I would consider more extensive protection. I just find the cost quite high compared to repainting in the event of major chipping. It is cheap to DIY, but I would limit DIY to easier panels without much shaping required. That and the fact that I suspect it will not protect larger impacts which would require repainting anyway. If cost is not an issue and you are committed to keeping the original factory paint, it makes good sense.

 

[Lostpilot28]

Look on eBay...you can get "pre cut" film that's a little easier to apply since you don't have to trim edges. It's about $250 for a kit that covers everything in the front 1/4 of the car. I've used the VentureShield brand...and it looked pretty good. I had my last car done professionally and it looked a lot better. I could never get the curves and complex shapes to lay down just right...it's an art.

 

[RotorOver]

Look on eBay...you can get "pre cut" film that's a little easier to apply since you don't have to trim edges. It's about $250 for a kit that covers everything in the front 1/4 of the car. I've used the VentureShield brand...and it looked pretty good. I had my last car done professionally and it looked a lot better. I could never get the curves and complex shapes to lay down just right...it's an art.

Xpel also comes in kits, but direct from their website. 10 year warranty with 10 mil thickness. Of course it will cost you more.

Paint Protection Film Pre-Cut Kits

www.xpel.com